Sutter-Yuba County Biographies
ISAAC DRAKE
Transcribed by: Kathy Sedler
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
During the long period of his connection with the agricultural
interests of Sutter County, Isaac Drake has proved himself a man of exceptional
business ability and keen judgment. The exercise of these qualities has brought
to him financial success and a standing among the prosperous residents of the
county. He continued his agricultural pursuits until 1920, when he disposed of
his property and bought a residence at 109 Chestnut Street, Yuba City, where he
is now living retired from active business cares. His birth occurred in Jackson
Township, Vinton County, Ohio, December 17, 1837. He is a son of Jacob and
Sarah (Scheelein) Drake. The father, Jacob Drake, was born in England and was
nine years old when he came to the United States with his parents, who settled
in Massachusetts. When Jacob Drake was a young man he removed to Ohio, where he
farmed and worked at his trade of carpenter; later he removed to Springfield,
Mo. Eleven children were born in the family: Phoebe, David, Rachel, Katherine,
Rebecca, Jacob, Isaac, William, Sarah, Daniel, and Marion. Jacob Drake passed
away at the age of eighty years, his wife surviving him until she was
eighty-five years old.
Isaac Drake received his education in the grammar schools of Ohio
and Missouri. On June 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, 6th Missouri Volunteer
Infantry. He was with General Grant at Shiloh and Pittsburgh Landing, and was
in Grant�s campaign down the Mississippi River to and including the siege of
Vicksburg. He was in the battles of Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw
Mountain, Snake Creek Gap, Peach Tree Creek, and the Siege of Atlanta. In the
fall of 1864, in front of Atlanta, Mr. Drake reenlisted for three years or
during the war. �I was in to finish the job,� he says, �and wanted to see it
out.� He was in the 15th Army Corps, under General McPherson, until the latter
was killed at Atlanta, and was there at the time when �Black Jack,� Gen. John A.
Logan, with some of his men, made their dash with the cry, �McPherson�s body or
die!� After this the 15th Army Corps was under the command of Gen. John A.
Logan. Mr. Drake was in Sherman�s March to the Sea, and was present at the
taking of Savannah and in the battles of Bentonville and Goldsborough. Then,
with the victorious army, he marched North and took part in the Grand Review in
Washington, as one of Sherman�s Bummers. He received his honorable discharge at
St. Louis, Mo., September 17, 1865. Returning to his home, he was thereafter
occupied in farming, in St. Francois County, Mo.
On February 7, 1867, at Stono, Mo., Mr. Drake was married to Miss
Mary Elizabeth Yeates, a native of Missouri, daughter of Richard and Susanna
(Wallon) Yeates, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Missouri.
Richard Yeates was a farmer by occupation, and a veteran of the Indian wars.
Mrs. Drake is next to the eldest in a family of six children: Lewis, Mary
Elizabeth, John, Adaline, Nicholas, and Elisha. In 1883 Mr. Drake removed with
his family to Custer County, South Dakota, where he homesteaded 160 acres of
land, farming it until 1890, when they decided to move to California. They
first settled in Tuolumne County, where they farmed for two years, and then
removed to Oakdale, Stanislaus County, and spent two years in farming. Coming
then to Sutter County, Mr. Drake purchased a twenty-acre peach orchard at
Oswald, which he operated until 1920. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs.
Drake: Emma, deceased: John, a resident of Alaska; Rosetta, now Mrs. Lehner,
of Oswald; W. Ellis, deceased, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, serving in
the 8th California Infantry, stationed at Vancouver Barracks, Wash.; Laura, now
Mrs. Davis, of Franklin Corners, Sutter County; Fines and Firman, deceased;
Birdie, now Mrs. H. C. Epperson, of Sutter City; and Fred. who enlisted in the
World War in July, 1917, and was sent to San Pedro, Cal. and placed on the ship
Covington. This boat was sunk on the French coast, and Fred Drake floated for
hours on a life raft and was picked up by a destroyer and returned to Brest,
France, to be reassigned. He is now farming near Tudor. There are eight
grandchildren in the family. Mr. Drake is a Republican in politics. He is a
member of Corinth Post, G. A. R., at Marysville, in which he is a Past
Commander.
Mr. Drake was for four years and four months in the United States
service during the Civil War, and during that time was never on the sick list
nor in the hospital, and so did not miss a day with his company or regiment. He
is a very large man, of splendid physique and of athletic build, and while in
his prime was unusually powerful. While in the service, wrestling was one of
his sports, and Isaac Drake wrestled with the best men in his brigade (3000 men)
and never found a man who could lay him on his back.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 581-582